


The Store

by bjfic_archivist



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: Canon, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-11-16
Updated: 2003-11-16
Packaged: 2018-12-26 20:48:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12066732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bjfic_archivist/pseuds/bjfic_archivist
Summary: Brian and Justin go shopping together.





	The Store

**Author's Note:**

> Note from IrishCaelan, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Brian/Justin Fanfiction Archive](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Brian_Justin_Fanfiction_Archive). To preserve the archive, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in September 2017. I posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [The Brian/Justin Fanfiction Archive collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/bjfic/profile).

To Shannon Marie – you can read this one leaning back in your chair and with a smile on your face!

* * *

I knew the moment I pulled the object from my pocket what would happen. Really, I did. Still, I jumped a little when a loud groan sounded through the dairy section of the local food store. Snickering to myself, I gave him an innocent look. “Are you in any pain?”

 

A roll of expressive hazel eyes followed by a snort was the reaction I got. 

 

I grinned. “Well, our finances are a little tight these days …” I trailed off and the eyes rolled again. 

 

“*We* are not tight,” he insisted. “You talk as if we’re a couple or something. We aren’t. Not really, anyway.”

 

My grin widened. Yep, I was in a good mood. Sue me! “Michael told me you admitted to being my boyfriend.”

 

“I did no such thing,” he snapped showing sudden interest in the egg-free pasta on the top shelf. 

 

“Liar,” I whispered, rising on tip-toes and blowing hot air into his nape. I saw him shiver and my groin tightened instantly. God! I swear, even if I get to live until a hundred, I’m still gonna get hard just thinking about this impossible man. It’s a curse, really. But I might just bear living with it. 

 

He cleared his throat and studied the inscription on the packet he’d grabbed before. “Okay … so … I … uh … might have said something like that.” He paused and I could imagine the frown on his face, “Very non-conventional of course.”

 

“Of course,” I agreed, hiding my grin when he turned and glared at me. He slightly tilted his head and scrutinized me, before his eyes, once gain, fell on the object I still held in my right hand. “Just … put them away. It’s embarrassing.”

 

“You’re unemployed. I’m too. We need to save money.”

 

His glare intensified, as did his frown. “I still have the car.”

 

“You’re not gonna sell the car. Not after Michael returned it without so much as a scratch on it.” 

 

“Justin,” he rubbed his nape, and for a moment I wondered if he could still feel my hot breath there. Christ! My cock lengthened and hardened. And we were in the fucking store. At half past six – p.m.! Shit! I don’t have a problem with public sex, but I doubted jumping Brian’s bones right in the middle of a crowded store would give us any points with all the after-work shoppers. 

 

Brian’s eyes widened, and a smirk appeared on his mouth. “Don’t even think about it,” he warned. Of course he knew instantly what was going on in my head. “Christ! You’re too cheap to pay for a pack of noodles, but you want to have sex underneath them.”

 

I snickered again. The images awoken by that were … hmmm. “I thought sex in public places was a turn on for you.” I let my tongue flicker through my barely opened lips, and my brows wiggled. 

 

“Fuck!” Brian cursed underneath his breath and quickly turned away. “No wonder your mother couldn’t wait to get rid of you. Why do I put up with you?”

 

“Because you like my tight little ass?” Okay, so yeah, I’m cocky. So, what? I mean, it’s pretty much a given that he likes my tight little ass, right? After all, I’m the only one he’s fucked more than once – and I’m more or less the only one he does these days. I wouldn’t go as far as to call it monogamy – Brian would run screaming at the word anyway. But I’m pretty sure that his amount of tricks has diminished almost to nothing. I’m still not living with him. I thought it was better to keep a little distance between us. Call me superstitious, but I can’t get rid of the feeling that too much closeness will lead to disaster sooner or later – at least between us. 

 

Brian gave me a sideward glance that said more than words, then with a deep breath he turned away, picking up another pack of expensive – imported – pasta. “By the way – there is this new restaurant everyone’s talking about. Wanna check it out?” His back was to me, his stance relaxed, but the way he was fingering the pasta, I could see how tense he was.

 

“Is this supposed to be a date?”

 

“I don’t do dates.” He didn’t even have to think about it, the words came out almost on their own. As if he was quoting someone. Well, he did. Himself. He shrugged. “I was just thinking that it would be a nice change from takeout.”

 

“Can you-“

 

“Don’t say it,” he warned, interrupting me. He still wasn’t looking at me, but I knew he was ready to strike if necessary. 

 

I sighed. “There’s no shame in not having-“

 

Again he interrupted me, “I’m not broke.” This time his voice was so low, I knew he was done playing. This unemployment thing is a sore spot with him. It’s only been two months, but it’s making him edgy, especially as I don’t seem to be able to shut up about it. 

 

“Brian,” I kept my voice neutral – at least I hope I did. “I never said you’re broke, but you can’t go on spending money like you used to do.”

 

“What are you, my banker or something? You know shit about my finances.”

 

Oo-kay. I knew I needed to tread carefully now. He’s really touchy about this, and I wasn’t planning to start a full blown argument with him right in the middle of the fucking food store. So instead of arguing, I sighed, “Fine. Take that pasta.” I pointed at the package in his hand. “It’s not my money after all.”

 

“Exactly,” he replied, giving me the evil eye. I proceeded along the shelves, but from the corner of my eye I could see him putting the package back. I bit my lip to keep from smiling. If he ever finds out how predictable he is, he’s gonna have nightmares for weeks. As soon as you stop forcing things on him, he usually acts like a downright normal human being. 

 

“So,” he said after a while, strolling behind me, eyeing the shelves for something he wanted. “What about that restaurant?”

 

“What about it?”

 

It was his turn to sigh. Loudly, I may add. “You coming or what?”

 

“Uh … yeah. I’d love to.” I tried to keep my face expressionless. He was actually taking me out for a date. Not just for some fucking in a back alley, no, this was dinner. Dinner with Brian. Tears sprang into my eyes and I quickly turned away from him, frowning hard to keep them at bay. No fucking way I could start bawling like a kid right in the middle of the store. But damn, when he shows this side of himself, a side others rarely get to see, I grow all mushy inside. 

 

Like when he told me about the reason he spent all that money to bring Stockwell down. After we made love – and yes, it was definitely making love, slow, tender, and simply beautiful – I went back to Daphne’s and bawled into my pillow. When Daph came home she thought Brian and I had split – again - until I looked at her and she realized those were happy tears. And when I told her what happened, she bawled right with me. It was a whole big crying feast. 

 

“Fine,” Brian said and did his best to ignore my reaction. That’s the way it is with us, and sometimes it makes me want to scream, but then I figure that I have to accept it. I mean, yeah, I would like for him to show me his emotions, and accept mine in return, but it’s a cheap price to pay compared to what I gain, and the huge steps Brian has made lately on his way to become human after all make me feel all warm inside. 

 

So all in all, I couldn’t be happier. I mean, I have Brian, the real Brian, or at least one that comes close to the Brian I always knew was there underneath all the ‘fuck you’ attitude he so loves to show the world. I’m not going to kid myself and expect that he’ll go all gooey on me, and declare his eternal love. And strangely enough – and I probably have to thank Ethan for this, go figure – I don’t mind, because, well, it wouldn’t be Brian. I realize it sounds strange, but it’s the truth. I finally woke up and saw that it was Brian I want – Brian Kinney, warts and all, and not some cheap replacement who gives me all the right words, but can never live up to what I really need. 

 

I giggle at the thought – you know calling Ethan a cheap replacement, and Brian’s head comes up. He looks at me strangely. “What’s wrong with you?”

 

“Nothing,” I replied, stifling another laugh. Geez. “You know,” I told him, “I just realized I’ve never thought about Ethan since we split.”

 

His right brow went up. Fucker! He never saw Ethan as a threat. Not that I’m delusional enough to believe Brian would care about threats, but still. The amusement in his eyes spoke louder than words. “And expensive pasta and Ethan fit together – how?”

 

I shrugged, “Not at all, actually.”

 

“That’s what I figured,” Brian said and I could see the satisfaction in his eyes that his estimation of Ethan has been right on the spot. “Besides, cheap really fits him.”

 

We shared an unexpected grin, and my heart went all aflutter at seeing his beautiful mouth curve into a smile. God, he has the most wonderful smile I’ve ever seen. It’s rare, and maybe therefore the more precious. “I wonder what he’s doing right now?”

 

“Probably traveling the world, trying to fuck people over with his non-existent charm.”

 

Or maybe Brian wasn’t quite as nonchalant about the whole thing as he wants me to believe. “I never stopped thinking about you, though,” I confessed in a whisper, not daring to look at him. I waited for a moment, and when nothing happened, I raised my head only to find him gone. That’s Brian for you. If the whole thing gets too emotional he simply runs. He does it in different ways, but he runs. All the time. Sometimes just by going into Babylon to let some hot guys suck his dick. That’s his personal escape route and I’m glad that I’ve grown up enough to understand. I won’t lie and tell you that seeing another man touching Brian intimately doesn’t bother me, because it does. But I can live with it, and I don’t wake up sweating, expecting Brian to leave me.

 

I finally found him at a shelf holding different kinds of salad oil, and of course Brian had the most expensive bottle in his hand. “Don’t even start,” he warned before I could even open my mouth. “I’m not going to cut down on my salad oil.” He suddenly smirked at me, “Besides you can use it for a lot of things, and,” his gaze wandered to my ass, “that’s too important to mess around with cheap stuff.” Again he paused and his eyes found mine, “To bring the cheap argument to an end.”

 

Meaning, we won’t mention Ethan Gold again. “Fine,” I sighed loudly. “But I get to choose the vinegar.”

 

“Go on, if you can’t help yourself,” he replied, waving me away with an impatient movement of his hand. 

 

I wandered away with a grin, and stopped to study the different labels on the bottle of balsamic, white whine, red wine and other vinegar. It’s downright confusing with large a selection like this, but I love it. I love the whole shopping thing, and I love doing it with Brian. 

 

I was just holding a bottle in my hand, trying to decide if it was what I wanted, when I became aware of a guy openly checking me out. It’s not completely unexpected, I have guys checking me out all the time, and neither unpleasant, but right now I just didn’t want to deal with it. I sighed again and frowned, doing my best to concentrate on the bottle in my hand, hoping the guy would get the hint.

 

Of course my luck had just run out and he sidled up to me. “Planning a family dinner?”

 

On a scale of one to ten for the lamest come-on, he’d get a twelve, but I did my best not to let it show when I turned to him with a slight smile. “No, just for two.”

 

He should’ve gotten it then, but no such luck. Either the guy was just oblivious or he simply decided to ignore the hint. I’m still guessing it was the latter. “A boyfriend?” 

 

Or maybe he was completely dumb because I thought the dinner for two had said it all. “Kind of, yeah.”

 

His brows climbed. “Kind of?”

 

“Yeah, kind of,” came an annoyed voice from the side. “You’ve got a problem with that?”

 

Brian. I should have known. If the guy beside me had been clever, he would have run screaming at the look Brian gave him, but instead of fear, an awe-struck expression entered his eyes. “You’re Brian Kinney.”

 

Oo-kay. What was going on here? Turning first to Brian, then at the guy, and finally back to Brian, I gave my lover a slight frown. Then turned back to the guy. “So, he’s Brian Kinney. So what?”

 

“I’ve heard a lot about you.”

 

“Yeah? You’re about to hear a lot more.” Brian never took his eyes off the guy. “Why don’t you fuck off?”

 

“Hey,” the man held up both hands and took a step back. Not so dumb after all. “No need to get hostile, man. I was just having a friendly conversation with Blondie here.”

 

Brian’s brows drew together, and I realized he was getting angry. But his voice was a cool as a cucumber when he said, “That’s Justin. And now, fuck off.”

 

“They told me you were explosive stuff, Kinney. And they were right.”

 

Huh? “Ah … why don’t you just leave now?” I asked as politely as possible. I didn’t miss Brian stiffen beside me, didn’t miss the glimmer that entered his eyes. Not that he’s looking out for public scenes, but he’d never walk away from one either. 

 

And would you believe it, the guy is even more stupid than I thought. He gave me a long look, but instead of just leaving, he pulled a card from his pocket and shoved it into my trousers. “Call me if you get bored.” Then with a wink at Brian he turned and swaggered down the aisle. 

 

Beside me Brian sucked in a sharp breath. “You know, this caveman routine is so out.” I know, I know, maybe not the wisest thing to say, but hey, it’s still a lot better than watching Brian and the annoying guy punching it out right here, in the middle of the food store. 

 

For a moment I wondered if Brian had even heard me, but then he suddenly blinked. “Are you out of your fucking mind? Caveman routine? What the fuck are you talking about?”

 

I grinned, glad to have my Brian back, “Don’t even try to deny it. If you had guns you would have had a shoot out right here in the middle of the store.”

 

Again the right brow came up, “Dream on, Sunshine. The guy was fucking annoying. Explosive stuff? Where did he hear something like that?”

 

“Well, you are – explosive, I mean.” And he is. And damn, if he doesn’t know it.

 

His tongue wandered in his cheek, and he gave me a last look before he turned and walked toward the vegetable section. I was instantly reminded of another time we were here and he started comparing Zucchinis with the guy he fucked later. I was so shocked when I found him doing the guy on the living room couch, but I was a completely different person then. I was weak and vulnerable, still reeling from the bashing and the head injury. I doubted myself and our relationship at each corner, and I never saw what was happening to us. Nor did I mind. I was so fucked up, I fell for Ethan’s romantic bullshit in the blink of an eye. 

 

And damn if that isn’t the second time Ethan Gold had entered my mind today. Fuck! 

 

Brian was already waiting for me when I arrived at the vegetables and holds out a cucumber. I smirked and nodded, and he grinned back. Again my heart fluttered. God! This was so bad. I’m only 20 years old and already sold on that man. There is no turning back, no way out – and I love every moment of it. 

 

When we finally paid and stored everything in the car, he grinned at me, before he tossed me the keys and went to the right side of the car. I stared at them and then grinned back. And then he shocked the hell out of me. Right before he climbed into the car, he looked at me over the hood and his face was suddenly serious, and there was something in his eyes I had never seen before. “I never stopped thinking about you either.”

 

That’s it, nothing else, and I had the feeling my knees would give out underneath me. Thank God I had the hood to hold on to, or I might have turned into a puddle on the floor. 

 

Oh. My. God. 

 

If he’d told me he loved me, it couldn’t have been more earth shattering. A year ago, I would have danced in the rain to hear something like that – or maybe I wouldn’t have. I probably would have been too insecure to even understand what a huge thing happened just a few moments ago. Oh my! 

 

I took several deep breaths, and when I slipped behind the wheel and glanced at him, he was leaning back in his seat, his eyes closed, his breathing even. Geez. I wanted to ask him – something – anything, but I didn’t. I don’t need to ask questions anymore. I’m not that man anymore, who needs words and assurances all the time. 

 

He never stopped thinking about me. 

 

It might surprise you, but it’s all I’ll ever need.


End file.
